Hour 2: Mets & Talk About It

Summary

Don, Hahn & Rosenberg

Episode: Hour 2: Mets & Talk About It
Date: September 16, 2025
Podcast Hosts: Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg
Source: ESPN New York

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Overview

This lively hour of Don, Hahn & Rosenberg covers the emotional rollercoaster of New York sports fandom, with special attention paid to the Mets’ struggles and playoff chances, industry news (including a fun WWE announcement from Peter Rosenberg himself), the shift in major sports events to cities like Las Vegas, and candid reflections on athletes’ career decisions. The episode’s tone is conversational, playful, and sometimes feisty, mixing deep sports analysis with pop culture and listener engagement.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. WrestlePalooza & Peter Rosenberg’s Big News

[01:39–06:00]

• Peter Rosenberg shares exciting WWE news:

  • He is hosting a special “WrestlePalooza” event for ESPN2 on Friday at 3pm, then re-airing through Saturday.
  • Rosenberg jokes about how upset he would have been seeing someone else host the special:

    “How much would I have complained to you if I had been sitting here, we looked up at the screen, and someone else was hosting the special? ... It should have been me!” (Peter Rosenberg, [02:23])

  • His mystery co-host is debated, with the group bantering through possible candidates (LeBron James? Eli Manning? Reggie Miller? Tyrese Haliburton?).
    • Big reveal: Tyrese Haliburton, known for loving wrestling, will co-host with Peter.
    • The segment brims with their unique brand of playful, New York sports banter.

• Discussion on Las Vegas vs. New Orleans for big sports events:

  • WWE shifted WrestleMania from New Orleans back to Vegas, a business move that irked many.
  • Alan’s take:

    “Getting around Vegas is a pain in the ace. New Orleans, you get a central hotel, you’re walking everywhere.” (Alan Hahn, [06:24])

  • Discussion extends to whether New Orleans has outgrown Super Bowls and WrestleMania-type events.

2. Mets' Playoff Hopes and Listener Calls

[08:02–13:43]

• Caller Jose from Connecticut:

  • Draws a comparison between the Mets’ inconsistency and the Knicks' past frustrations:

    “I don’t know how to feel about this team...I wouldn’t be surprised if they beat the Dodgers and I wouldn’t be surprised if the Dodgers smoke them, right?” (Caller, [08:32])

• Hosts' Analysis:

  • Peter and Don express skepticism the Mets could win the first round.
  • Alan notes, “How could you possibly have full confidence in your team when you know what sport looks like right now?” ([09:31])
  • Discussion of MLB parity and playoff unpredictability—everyone is flawed, even favorites like the Dodgers.

• Jesse Rogers’ polling of MLB insiders:

  • AL favorites: Blue Jays cited as “most well-rounded,” threats include Tigers and Yankees, whose bullpen “will get hot.” ([10:25])
  • NL: Mets least mentioned, but some players believe in their potential to “get hot.”

    “There’s that hot thing again…you just got to get hot at the right time.” (Don Hahn, [11:42])

  • Persistent issue: shaky Mets bullpen undermining otherwise strong offense.

• Changes in MLB rules impacting bullpen management:

  • Three-batter minimum for relievers discussed; no more constant specialist pitching changes ([12:38])
  • Consensus: Rule has made games shorter, but complicates late-inning strategy.

3. Conspiracy Theories & Classic Callers

[13:49–18:03]

• Caller Rico in Buffalo:
  • Praises Don’s boldness in claiming NFL would not let the Chiefs lose three straight:

    “Don, you were a man’s man…you got brass balls.”

  • Insists officials can influence outcomes, referencing YouTube and Michael Franzese (mobster, not Francesa the broadcaster).
  • Hosts gently push back—Alan:

    “Before you start labeling people, don’t make this like that now. You took a hard left there.” ([14:26])

  • Segment pivots into a humorous, lightly combative exchange mixing New York-style skepticism and affection.

4. Robert Redford: Reflecting on Legacy

[18:10–21:43]

• Alan on generational recognition of Robert Redford:
  • “His name meant handsome actor... Whoever you are, ‘Who does he think he is, Robert Redford?’” ([18:49])
• They recall his iconic movie roles (Gatsby, The Natural, Butch Cassidy, The Sting), with Peter adding,

  “For me though, it’s The Natural.” ([19:45])

• Alan and Don praise Redford’s directorial work, reflect on his 89-year life, and marvel that Dan Rather is still “dropping bombs” at 93.

5. Let’s ‘Talk About It’ Tuesday:

[24:00–31:25]

• Alan’s Positive:

  • Baker Mayfield’s “national anointing” as a legit NFL leader.

    “Last night was sort of an official, an unofficial national anointing of who Baker Mayfield is…he is that dude.” ([24:28])

    • Praises his gritty performance, ability to rebound after setbacks in his career and during games.

• Alan’s Negative:

  • Tom Brady’s return—for flag football in Saudi Arabia:

    “How much money is ever enough? You gotta go back and get a bag to play flag football?” ([27:00])

    • Expresses frustration with the headline framing (“Brady returning to the field”).

• Hosts’ Opinions on Sports in Saudi Arabia:

  • Acknowledgement that, despite earlier controversy, it’s now standard for leagues, stars to take big checks from Saudi promotions.

    “Over time, guys, [Vince McMahon] would have just thrown money in the garbage because everyone’s there. Now NFL players are just the latest ones getting to it. ... Get your bag.” (Alan Hahn, [30:02])

• Don’s Talk About It (Shadur Sanders Draft Story):

  • Shares report that Shadur Sanders declined the chance to be a Baltimore Raven (play behind Lamar) for a starting opportunity with the Browns.

    “Is he really about what he says he’s about? …Going to the Browns is going to the desert.” (Don Hahn, [33:26])

  • Group views the move as misguided—Browns and Jets “quarterback hell” with little upside for a young player.

6. Mets Deep Dive: David Stearns Speaks

[39:05–48:29]

• Mets’ President David Stearns addresses the media, reflecting on the team’s collapse after a strong start.

  • On current mindset:

    “We still have an opportunity ahead of us to get to the postseason. That’s a meaningful opportunity. Staying in the right mindset is probably a big part of what’s going to determine our success.” (David Stearns, [39:47])

• Peter comments on playoff hopes:

  “As much as I’m down on it, they’re still going to go to the playoffs because I just don’t trust any of the teams that are chasing.” ([40:20])

• Stearns is candid about not expecting the current tough spot but says, “my focus is from here forward.” ([40:54])

  • Don and Alan agree: If the Mets “blow this thing,” expect major changes and possibly breaking up the core.
  • Stearns expresses regret about not being more aggressive at the trade deadline after injuries devastated the staff.

    “Had I had that knowledge going in, yes, it would have changed what we did.” (David Stearns, [44:23])

• Discussion turns to pitching strategy for the future:

  • Stearns: “We have to develop our own pitching…with tremendous abundance. That is where our focus is going to be.” ([46:00])
  • Alan and Don see hope with their young arms (“groundswell” for McLean as rookie of the year).

• Alan sums up the fan experience:

  “Doesn’t that at least give you something look to look forward to next year even if this ends…with losing in the wild card?” ([48:17])

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On hosting WrestlePalooza:
  Peter Rosenberg ([02:23]) – “How much would I have complained to you if…someone else was hosting the special? …It should have been me!”

• On New Orleans vs. Vegas for events:
  Alan Hahn ([06:24]) – “You get a central hotel in New Orleans, you’re walking everywhere. [In Vegas,] you can only be so removed from the public…”

• On the Mets' state:
  Caller Jose ([08:32]) – “I wouldn’t be surprised if they beat the Dodgers and I wouldn’t be surprised if the Dodgers smoke them…”

• On MLB's bullpen rule:
  Don Hahn ([12:54]) – “You’re stuck with somebody who comes in and he’s terrible. You got to wait two more batters. That rule has been a killer.”

• On calling out conspiracy talk:
  Alan Hahn ([14:26]) – “Before you start labeling people, don’t make this like that now… You took a hard left there.”

• On Robert Redford as a generational icon:
  Alan Hahn ([18:49]) – “His name meant handsome actor… It was like Kleenex for handsome actor. It was Robert [Redford].”

• On Baker Mayfield’s “anointing”:
  Alan Hahn ([24:28]) – “Last night was sort of an official, an unofficial national anointing of who Baker Mayfield is…”

• On Tom Brady’s flag football event:
  Alan Hahn ([27:00]) – “How much money is ever enough? …You gotta go back and get a bag to play flag football?”

• On Shadur Sanders and misguided career moves:
  Don Hahn ([33:26]) – “Going to the Browns is going to the desert. You have no chance coming out of there and becoming anything with that organization.”

• On Mets' future with young pitchers:
  Alan Hahn ([48:17]) – “Doesn’t that at least give you something look to look forward to next year even if this ends…with losing in the wild card?”

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:39–06:00] – WrestlePalooza hosting announcement, fun banter on co-host guesses
• [08:02–13:43] – Mets frustration, playoff vibe, and MLB parity
• [13:49–18:03] – Conspiracy call from Rico in Buffalo, humorous pushback
• [18:10–21:43] – Remembering Robert Redford
• [24:00–31:25] – ‘Let’s Talk About It’ Tuesday: Baker Mayfield, Tom Brady, sports & culture in Saudi
• [33:26–36:47] – Shadur Sanders’ career decision dissected
• [39:05–48:29] – Mets state of the union, David Stearns presser, future outlook

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Conclusion

This episode is quintessential Don, Hahn & Rosenberg—rapid-fire, culture-soaked, and authentically New York. It blends hard-hitting Mets analysis (“If the Mets blow it, Stearns has to make major changes,” [41:37]), deep dives on league-wide trends, playful media world anecdotes, and the obligatory listener calls (with a side of conspiracy). The group’s chemistry, wit, and experience shine, making for a dynamic and engaging ride through the city’s sports psyche.

Transcript

[Don Hahn]

Pro Savings days are back at Lowe's. Mylo's Pro Rewards members save even more with limited time doorbuster deals. Save $5 on 24 count contractor's choice 42 gallon trash bags now just $14.78 plus get your choice. Select Dewalt Elite series saw blades for $9.98. Not a pro Rewards member. Join for free today at Lowes. Valid through 917. Selection varies by location while supplies last. Loyalty programs subject to terms and condition. See Lowes.com terms for details. Subject to change. This is the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That sounds like heaven to me.

[Don Hahn]

Listen live weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8:80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app and your smart speakers.

[Peter Rosenberg]

401 the big city don on Rosenberg with you until 6:30. You know, I'm gonna save my Yankee Point for talk about a Tuesday, which is coming up at the bottom of the hour. I thought, you know what, that's a.

[Don Hahn]

Good place to jump on Yankee Point.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's right.

[Don Hahn]

To talk about a Tuesday.

[Alan]

See, I got, I got. I got a couple things too.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I see, I asked you during the break and I was excited.

[Alan]

One is. One is more positive. One's a little more negative.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'd go with the negative.

[Alan]

No, you know what, Don? That's what's wrong with society.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, it's not. It's not. But it's. It's great for sports radio. I don't need to talk about a Tuesday. And you give me some kind of positive.

[Alan]

But the positive one is still a take. I think it's still like an actual take. Worth note. But we'll get to it all happens at 4:30. It all happens right here. By the way, can I announce a little something here?

[Don Hahn]

What's that?

[Alan]

A little bit information.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Okay.

[Alan]

I think you'll both be happy about.

[Peter Rosenberg]

All right.

[Alan]

Even though you may both know, but just pretend you don't. Well, you know that Saturday is the big first WWE premium live event on ESPN's Appalooza. Russell Palooza. It's going down. It's a big, big deal. I'm sure you've seen when you look at the tv, they're doing a lot. Well, it's also been announced that Friday at 3pm they are doing the Wrestle Palooza special on ESPN2. And then it's going to re air like nonstop between then and Saturday afternoon.

[Don Hahn]

What?

[Alan]

And you'll be happy to know that none other than yours truly, Peter Rosenberg has been tapped to host the Wrestle Palooza special. And I gotta tell you, I'm very. I'm very grateful and excited about it because I was. I was picturing the world. I said to an Anthony, I went, anthony, how much would I have complained to you if I had been sitting here? We looked up at the screen and someone else was hosting the special. You wouldn't have heard the end of it. I'd be wrong. How could they do this to me? It should have been me. And so the fact that they're having me do this, I'm really excited about it.

[Don Hahn]

Good.

[Alan]

It means I will not be on the air with us at 3 o', clock, but I'll find my way on the air.

[Don Hahn]

Don't you worry.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, that's why I was clapping. No, I'm very happy, but I am very excited.

[Alan]

It's gonna be a really, really cool situation. You know, my coast is. He's going to be on the full hour with me.

[Don Hahn]

Arto Cal.

[Alan]

No.

[Don Hahn]

Okay.

[Alan]

Think more outside the box. We love Art ocal.

[Don Hahn]

I'm just throwing wrestling in people.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's not a wrestling person.

[Alan]

It's someone who loves wrestling. He does not work for ESPN.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Okay.

[Alan]

He does not work for WWE.

[Peter Rosenberg]

David LaGreca.

[Alan]

It is not David Legracka.

[Don Hahn]

That would have been a good surprise.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That would have been.

[Alan]

That would have been. He would have. I think Tom would have known already, but yes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Any other.

[Alan]

Any other guess?

[Don Hahn]

Music?

[Alan]

He doesn't work for wwe. Doesn't work for esp. He's related to sports. He's sports of Jays, not Sports of Jays.

[Don Hahn]

He's related. He's.

[Alan]

No, no. He's more than related to sports. He's sports.

[Don Hahn]

He's sports.

[Alan]

He's sports.

[Peter Rosenberg]

LeBron James.

[Alan]

You're on the right path.

[Don Hahn]

Eli Manning.

[Alan]

You're on the wrong path. Getting colder. Getting colder.

[Don Hahn]

Throwing out names. Although he does work for espn. Technically, you were.

[Alan]

Don was getting warm when he said LeBron James. He was getting warm. You were heading the right direction. Think about what you did there.

[Peter Rosenberg]

All right. Thank you.

[Alan]

It is not Louisian. Benny Agbayani is not Benny Agbayani.

[Peter Rosenberg]

DJ Juanito, is it somebody you like?

[Alan]

I personally like this person. New York does not.

[Don Hahn]

Zach Britton. Reggie Miller, you are very warm.

[Alan]

You are on fire. Tyrese Halliburton.

[Don Hahn]

We got there. Loves wrestling. Yeah. It's a joke. I'm surprised. Like I did. That was a drop.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm not.

[Alan]

That was a drop.

[Don Hahn]

I'm not critiquing the decisions like Brunson loves wrestling. I'm surprised he's not involved.

[Alan]

Well, remember, this is Russell Palooza's. In Indianapolis.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So it's all.

[Don Hahn]

So is Mac. McAfee's not part of this?

[Alan]

If it's McAfee. McAfee is appearing at the show on Saturday. I don't know what he's doing, but.

[Don Hahn]

He'S at the show.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So you don't. I. I don't really consume much of my brother's product on circumstances, which is.

[Alan]

Double unfortunate because I'm on the channel.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I had to take. I had to take my mom to the dentist. So I was in the car, and I just. I couldn't. I didn't want to hear any more talk about the Giants and Jets, and I. And I. I didn't. I want to focus on our show, so I put on my brother's show. I knew I wasn't gonna have to worry about hearing about the Giants, jets or.

[Alan]

I'm sure. Now, does your mother enjoy listening to your brother show? She ever hear it?

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, because it's. Because it's serious. Right now. She's listening to us on the boombox. Everything changed after we lost. Yes, but she gets.

[Alan]

She gets 880 on the boombox.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, she does.

[Alan]

All right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We love that. Make sure. That's one of the things I Make sure whenever I. That it's still boomboxes, still selling into tremendous. Yeah, that. The big topic of conversation for my brother on the show was how he was ripping in to wwe.

[Alan]

Oh, okay.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Because Rock announced at New Orleans that the. The next WrestleMania was gonna be in New Orleans. And now they pivoted away and they're going back to Vegas. And brother was trying to defend that, you know, that's an awful job. And then his co host, Bully, was saying, well, listen, that's the way the contracts work. Sometimes there are outs. Maybe New Orleans they couldn't match. He's like, then don't have the Rock announce it until all the ink's dry. All the people in New Orleans all psyched that they're getting WrestleMania. They got taken away from him, and I thought that was a pretty good point.

[Alan]

Well, listen, I don't know the details. I'll say this as a company shill. We love what they're doing. No, I was disappointed. This is just me being selfish. I didn't feel like going back to Vegas. I love New Orleans for events. I wanted to go back to New Orleans. I mean, listen, I'll say this. Both places have great food. Blah, blah, blah. Getting around Vegas is a pain in the ace. New Orleans, you get it. If you get a central hotel in New Orleans, you're walking everywhere.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Doesn't it feel like, you know, we'll get back to the calls in a second. But doesn't it feel like. I think the super bowl out has outgrown New Orleans. Could the same be said for WrestleMania? No, I like New Orleans, but I felt like it's, it's too tight.

[Alan]

It's just too many people.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, it just, I think it kind of outgrew. And Vegas is now like, oh, my God, everybody just loves Vegas.

[Alan]

Vegas is just a tough, the Vegas hotel situation. Do you realize that the talent for wwe, when they're in Vegas, they stay in a big casino hotel. You can only be so removed from the public when you stay in a casino hotel. Like, you are seeing people all the time. There's no way for them to go in.

[Peter Rosenberg]

There's no going, you know, there's no going down to the lobby for the continental breakfast in Las Vegas.

[Alan]

And normally at WrestleMania, what happens is normally at WrestleMania, there's some big hotel that we all stay at in the city. And that hotel is like cut off. And there's security at the door. And the talent, when they're in the hotel does whatever they want. They walk around very comfortably. And in Vegas, it's just like, it's a small thing. I get a first world problem, but it's still challenging.

[Peter Rosenberg]

1-800-919-3776. Jose is in Connecticut. You're on ESPN New York. What's up, Jose?

[Caller]

Hey, what's up guys? Talking about the Mets.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Like, I've been thinking, like, while you guys are talking, like, first, I don't.

[Alan]

Know how to feel.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm Donald, like you, I'm really frustrated with the team, but they remind me.

[Caller]

A lot of like, and not one.

[Peter Rosenberg]

To one, but the Knicks, man, were.

[Caller]

Like, the Knicks were so good.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And then they were under around 500 last two months. And we were frustrated and we were.

[Caller]

Like, not surprised that they were losing the first round or if they couldn't.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Go far because this team has talent. But it's frustrating, right?

[Caller]

The day to day you either hate.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Them or then they do something and.

[Don Hahn]

You get a little bit of a.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know, positive, like a lot of the home run. So I don't know how to feel about this team because they have the team, the offense at least, right? The pitching is real crazy right now. But it's like, I wouldn't be surprised if they beat the Dodgers and I wouldn't be surprised if the Dodgers smoke them, right? So I don't know how to fit day to day. And it just changes based on how this. I gotta be honest, Jose, I would be surprised if the Mets get out of the first round. I would be surprised if they beat the Dodgers or the Padres. Can it happen? Yeah, I think I'd be shocked. You couldn't be shocked if the Yankees beat the Red Sox. You couldn't be.

[Don Hahn]

No, you wouldn't.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Maybe, maybe you wouldn't pick it. Maybe you wouldn't feel great about it. I'll ask you, Alan, would you feel good about beating the Red Sox?

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. Yeah. You feel good about it because it's.

[Alan]

The Red Sox, but you could, you.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Could talk yourself into feeling good about any series. Yeah, but you, but you don't think.

[Don Hahn]

Winning a series you feel good beating the Red Sox, you feel it's, it's like a little bit better because it's who they are.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, I don't mean feel good to beat them. I'm saying feel good that they will beat them.

[Don Hahn]

Oh, do I feel good about it?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, that's. That's what I mean.

[Don Hahn]

No. Okay. No, no, I'm, I'm. I don't know how to feel because I don't know what to expect. And I think that's a real thing that almost every, every team going into the playoffs, they don't know. Like how do you, how could you possibly have full confidence in your team when you know what, what sport looks like right now?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Everybody's flawed. Maybe the Dodgers just because they just did it, but it's so difficult to repeat. We haven't had a repeat championship.

[Don Hahn]

The Dodgers will make you crazy too. They'll make them, but they get.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They. I just love the phrase playing with your food that Peter came up with. When you're the defending champions, I guess you get the benefit of the doubt that you can turn it back on. But listen, they're right here. September 6th, only a two game lead on the Padres. So they're. They might not even win their division.

[Don Hahn]

No.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The parody has struck this sport hard, man.

[Don Hahn]

Do you want to hit? So, so Jesse Rogers did some where he talked to 19 different executive managers and for and current players like just a sampling of the league and asked different questions. So the American League team to beat the most votes. Blue Jays. Why Blue Jays most well rounded? You know again you got Bichette, Guerrero, Springer. But even the bottom of the order, they've been really good. And the question is the bullpen like everybody okay, Biggest threat to beat the Blue Jays. Most, most votes went to the Tigers. If not Toronto, Detroit, then who Next team up, Yankees. And it's. Here's the thing. An American League executive said their bullpen will get hot and they have enough power bats to get through a weaker.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Field in the American League.

[Don Hahn]

And that's really what it's about. You if the bullpen just kind of. They could figure out three guys they can trust and the bats come back because they do come in. It goes in cycles for this team like we were just talking about with Stanton, then they could beat anybody. But on the other side of the National League, the Mets are mentioned last. And if a player said that he thinks the Mets are really good, I know they struggle, but I'm banking on them getting hot like they did last post season. Sometimes you get your worst baseball behind you and find your groove. I like the Mets to do that. There's that hot thing again, Don.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

Like you just got to get hot at the right time. And that's why the Mets are a threat, because the names on the lineup tell you that if they get hot, this is a dangerous team. Problem is for the better part of a half a season, they have not been able to be consistently hot.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. And the reason for that is, is because, yeah, the bats will get hot. The kids all came up and gave you some juice with the way that they started, but the bullpen is just not good enough.

[Don Hahn]

And there's that word too. NL Scout. Their lineup 1 through 9 has to carry them. I'm not sure how they'll piece it together on the mound, but sometimes you find rookie Magic.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Okay.

[Don Hahn]

And you hate it. But that's a real thing in Met history.

[Peter Rosenberg]

All right, fine. Get rookie magic through six, seven innings. But now that bullpen is going to have to get six to nine outs and I don't trust they can do it.

[Don Hahn]

That's right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And then you're going to start playing the game like they played last week, where I'm going to try to get a five out save out of Diaz because I don't trust anybody else. And he ends up getting.

[Don Hahn]

Is the rule the same in the postseason? You still a reliever comes in. He can't be he phase three.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

So you can't match mix and match like you used to back in the day when you could just this, this pitcher is facing that batter. Yeah. The only thing we can't do that anymore.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The only thing that goes away is the ghost runner.

[Don Hahn]

Okay, well, that's different then because you're stuck with somebody who comes in and he's terrible. You got to wait two more batters Right. That's been. To me, that rule has been a killer. You think? Because if a guy doesn't have it clearly or he's a bad matchup for the next guy up, you're stuck.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's why they brought it in. It's a challenge for managers.

[Don Hahn]

Well, they brought it in because they were sick and tired of the constant changing pitchers. That took up time, ate up time.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And I gotta tell you, the one thing we get on Major League Baseball, they have done a great job shortening these games. A tremendous job of shortening these games. Yankees, Red sox would take 4.4hours whenever they played.

[Don Hahn]

Yes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And you know, they'll go longer than the average game now because the Yankees.

[Don Hahn]

Red still goes three hours, but it's.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Still not four and a half. It was ridiculous.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You get those Yankee Oriole games at Camden Yards. Oh, my God.

[Don Hahn]

He'd be there all day.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Five hour affair. Let's go to Rico in Buffalo. You're on ESPN New York. What's up, Rico?

[Caller]

Don, you were a man's man. That's all I can say. You got bratz balls. When you came out yesterday and. And you told it the way it is with the, with the NFL not going to allow the Kansas City Chiefs to lose three in a row. You were so right. The game, Don, you live in New York City. I'm sure you had a lot of friends there who know that there are people affected by the outcomes of these games. And you had the brass balls to say it. And the two woke liberals sitting next to you wouldn't let you finish your point.

[Don Hahn]

I missed you. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Rico, Rico, before you start throwing words around, get to know people first. All right? Before you start labeling people. Don't. Don't make this like that now. All right? You took a hard left there.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Wow.

[Alan]

For an officiating. For an officiating conversation, you jumped out the window.

[Don Hahn]

Easy does it. We can let you finish. We were laughing at him.

[Caller]

Thank you.

[Don Hahn]

Laughing.

[Alan]

Rico, I have bad news for you right now. Okay?

[Don Hahn]

Geez.

[Alan]

What would you say if I were to tell you woke Don was completely trolling yesterday and doesn't actually believe there's a conspiracy?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I do.

[Caller]

I would not believe that, Peter.

[Alan]

That's unfortunate.

[Caller]

You have to be a person on the street that knows the street to know some right people. And all you got to do is reach out to one official, just one.

[Alan]

And they're going to tell you. What would they tell you, Rico? What would those people tell you if you reached out to that Official.

[Caller]

Okay. You ever watch YouTube?

[Alan]

Do I ever watch YouTube?

[Don Hahn]

Oh, it says lots on. You can learn a lot.

[Alan]

Oh, yeah, I'm familiar.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know what?

[Alan]

I got time today. Let's go. Let's keep going. Yeah, I watch YouTube. Tell me what to watch.

[Caller]

Okay, thank you, thank you. I appreciate the time.

[Alan]

Yes.

[Caller]

You have a lot of people that come on there. I'm gonna give you an example.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Okay.

[Caller]

Michael Franchise.

[Alan]

Yeah, Michael Franchet. I know.

[Caller]

Okay, you know of him. You don't know him?

[Don Hahn]

No, no, I know his name is.

[Alan]

Mike Francesa, but keep going.

[Don Hahn]

Think you know him.

[Caller]

I'm talking about Michael Franchase.

[Don Hahn]

Is.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Okay, who's Michael Franches?

[Alan]

Is that not Mike Francesa? Are we talking.

[Caller]

It was a member of the Colombo family. He was a captain.

[Alan]

Francese.

[Caller]

All right, you don't want to hear.

[Alan]

We just want to know who you're talking about first. What are you trying to say, Rico?

[Caller]

Okay, well, that question came across across the Michael, and he explained it perfectly. Just the way Don came out and tried to explain it yesterday. He said it happens all the time. All you gotta do is reach out to one guy, one official, and he can have the effect on every NFL game. And he also said the next sport would be the NBA. He did not include the NHL or Major League Baseball. Anyway, let me get back to what I was trying to say about Don. Don, I love you, man. I wish you were back with Michael. I really do. The two of you were the greatest.

[Alan]

What about. Hold on. But there was a third person on the application.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, it was his 10th anniversary, Rico. 10 years.

[Alan]

Yeah, I was on the show with them for 10 years. Listen, that's unfortunate, Don.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I tell you what, I was having some fun yesterday.

[Don Hahn]

No, no, I do think that you do get breaks.

[Peter Rosenberg]

For sure.

[Don Hahn]

We all do. You said something that needed to be. If you weren't sitting there, I thought that was you as Gil's cousin.

[Alan]

I, I, I know.

[Don Hahn]

If you weren't sitting there. No, that's a western New York accent. Yeah, you do that.

[Alan]

I don't know if I have that in my arse.

[Don Hahn]

I don't know if you have that one.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Interesting.

[Alan]

When he did the.

[Don Hahn]

Okay, it sounded like.

[Alan]

Okay, okay, please listen. Please, please don't hang up. Please listen.

[Don Hahn]

Do you watch the YouTube?

[Alan]

Do you watch YouTube?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I didn't watch.

[Don Hahn]

Do you watch that as a drop?

[Alan]

Do you watch YouTube?

[Don Hahn]

Because you can learn a lot on there.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Interesting. That got dropped today.

[Alan]

Let's take a left turn for a second since we already went left. And I'll Take us to break.

[Don Hahn]

Well, we went. Right. If you think about.

[Alan]

Touche. Gotta say. So I was. So I was on the air this morning when the news of Robert Redford passed.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right.

[Alan]

And you know, on this show, probably not the same thing, we have a slightly older audience, but I said they're probably younger people listening in the morning who don't realize, like, truly who Robert Redford is. Because even for someone my age, the movies, the big movies he had in my lifetime. Dude, you're talking. You're jumping to like Indecent Proposal.

[Peter Rosenberg]

All right, like he didn't like 91, 92, I think.

[Don Hahn]

Which, by the way, great movie.

[Alan]

I watched it last year.

[Don Hahn]

That you talk about. Just a discussion.

[Alan]

Oh, it's a great. You talk about great fodder for a radio show. No, it's a great move.

[Don Hahn]

Unreal.

[Alan]

But like, when I was a little kid, the name Robert Redford, beyond knowing what he was in his name was like. His name meant handsome actor. It was like Kleenex for handsome actor. It was Robert. Oh, what are you, Robert Redford? Who does he think he is? Robert Redford? It was the name, Don. You see what I'm saying? He was the actor's name. He's Brad Pitt, you know, but maybe even a more respected actor. But the good looking, handsome. I mean, he's the Sundance Kid, for God's sake.

[Don Hahn]

Far more respected actor, but a very similar type deal that don't impress me much. The song.

[Alan]

Yes.

[Don Hahn]

So you think you're Brad Pitt. Right, Exactly.

[Alan]

That could have been Robert.

[Don Hahn]

It should have been Robert Redford, but in an earlier time.

[Alan]

Right, but like, I mean, you guys probably have a different relationship because of like all the President's Men or that's even butch casting. Your dad probably sat around watching Bush casting the Sundance Kid.

[Peter Rosenberg]

For me, though, it's the natural.

[Don Hahn]

Natural, of course.

[Alan]

Well, the natural. Now, if you're a sports fan, the Natural is different because that is huge. And it was multi. Generational.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right. It was 84, so that was. I was.

[Don Hahn]

You talked about the Sting.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right?

[Don Hahn]

Like that all.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The Sting was also big, too.

[Alan]

Yeah. What's the Sting? See that one? I don't know.

[Don Hahn]

Also him and Paul Newman.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Paul Newman. But they're, they're. They're con artists in like the 20s.

[Don Hahn]

And it's got the great theme song. It's a piano thing.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, I'll know it.

[Alan]

Oh, that's from that.

[Don Hahn]

You know it? Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Wow.

[Alan]

I sure do know that. But yeah, he, he was just a man. Dude, like, directed big movies as well. Speaking of sports movies, he directed bagger Vance. Yep, 2000. But he directed Ordinary People. Quiz Show. You mentioned Quiz show yesterday. Directed by Robert Red.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, but like. Like, even for him, the roles that he played, like Gatsby. He was a perfect Gatsby dude.

[Alan]

He was Gatsby.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Like.

[Don Hahn]

Like Leo tried to do. They. They. When they redid Gatsby. Not even close. No, the Redford. The Redford version of Gatsby is the best. Gatsby dude.

[Alan]

If you played. You played the Sundance Kid and you played Gatsby in the first Great Gatsby.

[Don Hahn]

Mm. That's a run.

[Alan]

He played Woodward in All Woodward.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Only. He only directed 10 films, but the 10 include ordinary people, A River Runs Through Quiz Show.

[Alan]

Oh, yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The Horse Whisperer.

[Don Hahn]

Oh, wow.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The Legend of Bagger Vance.

[Alan]

No, he did. He did big movies.

[Don Hahn]

Was out of Africa. He acted out of Africa too, I think. Did he direct that?

[Alan]

Maybe it's. I thought he did. Maybe not.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's not listed. He might have been a producer on that. He was also. But yeah, it was just.

[Alan]

He was the man, dude. He was. He was at 80, and I didn't realize he was 89. Oh, he played rather in 2015. One of his, like, last sort of big movies was that movie about the CBS Dan Rather sort of scandal, I think, called truth.

[Don Hahn]

Yes, 2015.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, that was 20. Yeah, 2015.

[Alan]

And so. And so I looked it up, and the crazy thing is, rather's 93, man.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I know.

[Alan]

93 years old, by the way, still dropping bombs. I looked up his name, Don. There's an article with him today. He's out here talking about the state of our country right now when he tweets everything he tweets gets 10,000 reaches. Rather just drops.

[Don Hahn]

But he also doesn't care at this point, right? What are you gonna do to me?

[Alan]

I mean, come on. He was the man for 50 years.

[Peter Rosenberg]

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[Don Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg Podcast.

[Alan]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Don Hahn]

Catch the show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts. Sometimes you just can't take it anymore. This is let's Talk About It Tuesday with Don Hahn and Rosenberg, sponsored by Better Help.

[Alan]

Oh yeah, like you dream about it is time for let's Talk About It Tuesday, sponsored by Better Help. Mental health is healthy. Don Hahn and Rosenberg. Of course it is Tuesday and I had two thoughts. Don wanted me to go negative. I'll start things off. I know, Don, you're shot out of a cannon about something as well. You always are.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I try.

[Alan]

So you want me to start negative or positive?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Let's start positive, shall we?

[Alan]

All right, I'm gonna say something. This may sound silly and like I'm looking too much into it, but in a lot of ways, after the last few years of just consistently showing he is that dude. I feel like last night was sort of an official, an unofficial national anointing of who Baker Mayfield is. Like that guy. If you watch last night, how they came back and won that game in the last possession. Listen, the stats don't jump screaming off the page, only through for 215 yards last night and only rushed for 33 yards. But the timing of the scramble to pick up the first down at the end of the game, the accuracy even on that ball that was dropped just before that while he's on the run. The two and OH record that Don pointed out again with Tampa, playoff appearance after playoff appearance, owning the NFC south, essentially.

[Don Hahn]

How about when he got popped and jump right back on his feet, which.

[Alan]

By the way, we've gotten used to from him as well, he didn't stay.

[Don Hahn]

Down and you could tell that that rattled him For a minute, pop right back up.

[Alan]

I just got to give this guy props. This is someone who early in his career looked like it was not happening. It is so rare. We just talked about this. How often do players survive early? Bad circumstances, bad team, bad coach, bad gm, bad players. He had all of those in Cleveland. He's dealt with all of those things. Ends up in Tampa in a period. Guys, when you think they're going to have probably you imagine they're just going to go back to Norm Post Brady and instead he's kept that team at a pretty elite level. I don't know. It was just one of those spots. You don't see Tampa on Monday Night Football all the time. They don't get the sexy big spots very often. So last night, super impressed by Baker Mayfield. And that's my first talk about it moment. On the negative side, a different quarterback. In fact, I just mentioned his name. Tom Brady walks away from football at the absolute height of his game. And now we find out he. And I get, I get it. It's mostly a goof, but I can't quite tell guys how much of a goof yet it is. As part of Riyadh season, which is the Saudi promotion arm that put on the Canelo fight, they do all kinds of huge events for big money, including WWE. WrestleMania, we just found out is going to be in Saudi next year. The Royal Rumble is there coming up in January. They do tons of huge events. I get it. But guys, Tom Brady is not every other athlete who goes to get a bag of cash in Saudi Arabia. This is the greatest of all time. Who walked away at the absolute height of his power. How much money is it ever Enough. You gotta go back and get a bag to play flag football, guys. I'd rather have him be done or literally announce that he's going back to the NFL. It's just sort of corn pone. This is, this is what we need from Tom Brady.

[Don Hahn]

That's what he's being asked. It's, it's, it's an opportunity and he's taken.

[Alan]

And there's cash.

[Don Hahn]

It's cash involved. It's not that big of a deal. He's just doing it like. And that's, that's just.

[Alan]

I just don't need it.

[Don Hahn]

I get it. With Gronk. There's your story. He and Gronk on the same team. Can you. Like, these are the things that people put together and they put a lot of big names in it because they know people will watch because of the names.

[Alan]

Oh, they have big names and.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, and then when it's watched those watching it go, what am I doing? Why am I watching this? Right? But that's, this is the rinse repeat of American culture. Put big names into any event and people are going to watch and you're going to, when it's over, you're going to wonder why you put that kind of time and effort into it. But it's just our culture, it's what we do. But the fact we love to just watch we go to the zoo and we watch other, other life happen.

[Alan]

I just, it's just this headline that annoys me and it's everywhere. Brady returning to the field.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, yeah, that's the.

[Alan]

I don't care that he's really doing it. I just hate that it's under the guise of he's making his return to football. By the way, on the list of playing in this flag football, Lily's names. Christian McCaffrey, Sauce Gardner, CD Lamb, Saquon Miles, Garrett Tyree Kill, Brock Bowers, Max Crosby. It goes on and on. They're end up taking it pretty seriously, I'm guessing. When they get there, I mean, is it going to be a goof or are they like going for it when they're there?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Is he looking at it as well? This is, this is a stretch, but follow me, because he's like, one's enough's enough. But does he feel like me doing this is going to allow all these other guys to get their bag too? Because maybe they don't do it. If he doesn't agree to do it, I mean, it doesn't happen. So is, is this kind of like a Santa Claus moment? Like, listen, I got enough money. But look at all these guys. They're going to be able to get their bag too because of me.

[Alan]

I feel like they were, they were doing it. No, I think they're doing it no matter what. But the bottom line is him and him and Ruben are best buds.

[Don Hahn]

They were looking for a headliner and he's the headliner.

[Alan]

And by the way, and Ruben's getting the bag of cash also. Fanatics flag football in Saudi Arabia. Yeah, right.

[Don Hahn]

I was waiting for that detail.

[Alan]

Yeah, sorry about that. So Ruben's getting his bag of cash and shout out to Ruben, he' great at getting a bag of cash. And he goes to Brady and says, hey buddy, let's go make some money together. Again, the overall event, I don't care. I mean, I famously say this. I don't care what anyone says. Vince McMahon got absolutely crushed. When WWE first decided to go to Saudi, it has aged like fine wine. All he did was get money before everyone else, cuz everyone's there. So if he had done the moral thing, as people put it at that time and said, I'm not going to go to Saudi Arabia, it's not the right thing to do because a lot of people felt that was not the right thing to do. Over time, guys, he would have just thrown money in the garbage because everyone's there. And now NFL players are just the latest ones getting to it. So I'm not passing any moral judgment on everybody. It's totally fine. Get your bag.

[Don Hahn]

It's a whole thing now. It's. It's almost like it's become normal to, to have events there and.

[Alan]

No, it has. And by the way. And by the way, I listen. Who is anyone to call out anyone else for where they decide to go and make money? Okay. A lot, A lot of pots and kettles being tossed around to you. All right, so go get your bag. I got no issue with it. My only issue is the headline of Tom Brady coming back to football. Just feels silly to me. He's doing a fun little event. He's going to chuck it around.

[Don Hahn]

Right. But it's him and Gronk and people love Gronk and everybody knows who Brady is. And that's the headline of this event. That'll be, you know, probably not worth the time, but people will watch.

[Alan]

Yeah. And by the way, if they need a commentator album.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. You're all in?

[Alan]

Oh, I'm in.

[Don Hahn]

Absolutely.

[Alan]

All right, Don, what do you got?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm good. You got one?

[Don Hahn]

Well, I was going to bring up a football story as well.

[Alan]

Oh, please.

[Don Hahn]

This is one because I had. I had really been on the campaign for this, this player through the draft in full belief in this player. And then came a report over the weekend that really caught my attention. And now it kind of makes me wonder all the things that I thought about this player. Kind of. I've changed my perspective. And that's involving Shador Sanders. Did you see Adam Schefter when NFL Countdown said that his reporting is that the Baltimore Ravens were going to draft Shador Sanders in the fifth round before the Browns got to him. And the Ravens were told from Sanders side, no, thanks, don't want to be there. Lamar Jackson's your starter. He's not going anywhere. I want to go somewhere I can start. And so the Ravens passed. And then a couple of picks later, he goes to the Browns, which we know is a dumpster fire for quarterbacks and they didn't. And they didn't want him. So it makes me wonder is he really about what he says he's about, which is you want to develop into an NFL quarterback. Is he getting the right guidance to say that's a gold standard franchise that's willing to bring you in and have you work in the same room as Lamar? Lamar Jackson can't ask for much more and think about opportunity is not. Well, you can't be QB1. He's not going anywhere. We all know this. But you know what else can happen? You're with a gold standard franchise. Maybe they have a game or two late in the season. It don't matter. Maybe he gets hurt. Maybe there's a second half they're up. So you go in the game, they work with you enough to a point where you show some flash. Guess who now becomes the hot commodity.

[Alan]

Oh yeah.

[Don Hahn]

In the coming years of either for a trade or whatever it is us it. That's how you. That's how you go from the player no one wanted in the draft to the player everybody wants. Going to the Browns is going to the desert.

[Alan]

It's a delusional decision.

[Don Hahn]

You have no chance coming out of there and becoming anything with that organization. We know that the history tells you the last place you go. Two of the last places to go for a young quarterback is the New York jets and the Cleveland Browns. Two places you'd never want to go as a young quarterback. And he chose to go to the Browns who already had drafted a rookie quarterback instead of having the chance to sit behind and learn from Lamar Jackson. Dude in that organization.

[Alan]

It tells you everything you need to know.

[Don Hahn]

I question now everything about what type of advice and guidance he got and also maybe his own thinking of where he really thinks he is. He wanted to go see compete for a job right away.

[Alan]

But you already. Here's the thing that makes that insane.

[Don Hahn]

Why did you not want to go to the Ravens?

[Alan]

Hold on. Here's the thing that makes it insane. If we were talking in the first two rounds we could have a conversation. We're talking the fifth and sixth round. Once you get already, you're already not what you thought you were. So now you need to adjust.

[Don Hahn]

The league doesn't think of you the way you think of you.

[Alan]

They don't see you as a starter yet.

[Don Hahn]

So then that's when you start. And again this is. I also believe because he's young kid, this is his guidance whether it's his father his agency, whatever it is, is you start to tell him, listen, the Ravens are a gold standard. You go there and let's now build the brand from here. Have Lamar talk about you, how great you are. Right. You fought, I believe. Right. Dion played there. Like, there's a lot of reasons why that would be the best way for him to get into the league and start with a positive image.

[Alan]

Oh, dude. It would have been. It's what you just said. It's long term thinking, and it makes perfect sense. Go back up Lamar Jackson.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Alan]

By the time it might take two or three years, you will get a. You could get a contract somewhere. You could go be a guy somewhere. So this Cleveland will burn you out and end your career.

[Don Hahn]

Think about this. We're all parents. If that's your son and you hear the same thing, aren't you like son? I know you want to compete and you want to play right away and you believe in yourself. Don't pass that up.

[Alan]

No. Go in a Super bowl in Baltimore.

[Don Hahn]

Go there and be part of a franchise that knows what it's doing and knows how to win. Just trust me. That's your best route at this point because we're in the fifth round. And now I really am concerned. Will. Will we look back and say that was the fateful decision in his career?

[Alan]

Great. That's a. That's a good one, man. I'm looking up one thing to put a bow on this, though.

[Don Hahn]

Yes.

[Alan]

Oh, no, forget it. They don't even have their backup is Cooper Rush, who is a good backup. Yeah, but Obi. But if they wanted Shador and Lamar.

[Don Hahn]

Took a liking to Shador, gave him time.

[Alan]

Now you're in business.

[Don Hahn]

Give him some time. And again, you might have an opportunity to play, and it might not happen till late in the season, but you have a whole year. And then there's always preseason games. There's always. All you got to do is show a little flash and play for an organization everybody respects. And suddenly you become the hot commodity.

[Alan]

And if you do get to play, you're on a good team. You're playing with a team that can actually make you look good.

[Don Hahn]

No, no. You're in quarterback hell in Cleveland.

[Alan]

It's a nightmare. It's a nightmare that is. Let's talk about it Tuesday. Sponsored by BetterHelp is betterhelp.com Timeout today for 10% off your first month of therapy.

[Peter Rosenberg]

David Stern speaks. We'll get into that next Don on and Rosenberg up until 6:30, then it's Mets baseball here on ESPN New York there are lots of reasons why people buy at Ramsey Mazda. It's their selection, it's their customer service and it's their savings. Lisa New 25 Mazda CX30 for 199 for 33 months. Start shopping now at Ramsey Mazda.com choose wisely. Choose Ramsey Mazda. Call 833-853-2970 for details. Vin SM84 3629 MSRP26865 0 Security deposit ends 93025.

[Don Hahn]

When did making plans get this complicated? It's time to streamline with WhatsApp, the secure messaging app that brings the whole group together. Use polls to settle dinner plans, send event invites and pin messages so no one forgets mom's 60th and never miss a meme or milestone. All protected with end to end encryption. It's time for WhatsApp message privately with everyone. Learn [e-mail] this episode is brought to you by State Farm.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Checking off the boxes on your to do list is a great feeling. And when it comes to checking off coverage, a State Farm agent can help you. You choose an option that's right for you. Whether you prefer talking in person on the phone or using the award winning app, it's nice knowing you have help finding coverage that best fits your needs. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. I'm Christian McCaffrey, pro running back and.

[Don Hahn]

Abercrombie is an official fashion partner of the NFL.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm not kidding when I say NFL by Abercrombie broke the Internet last year.

[Don Hahn]

And I think this season season's lineup.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Is even cooler and so does my.

[Don Hahn]

Wife who keeps stealing all my hoodies.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Stay fit for the season and Abercrombie's newest arrivals shop NFL by Abercrombie in the app, online and in store.

[Don Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Alan]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Don Hahn]

Catch the show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The recap is driven by Ramsey Mazda. So David Stern spoke today. Listen, I'm down on this team, but the one thing I'll say is I give David Stern's credit. He talks. He's available out there. Making himself available. Brian Cashman too. But of the general managers or presidents, you know, guys in charge of the operations of their franchises, I think David Stearns is right up there that seems to talk the most. Especially after the Mets have just dropped eight of nine and you know, fall now eliminated from the division and just trying to hold on to the third wild card. Mets have 12 games left. They're going to start a series with the Padres tonight. So Stern spoke on the upcoming stretch of home games.

[David Stearns]

I think on a daily basis, the entire organization, that includes the front office, our entire executive staff, are focused on putting our players and coaches in the best position to succeed in any way we can. That's helping them, ensuring that we have the right information and doing our best to provide the supportive environment and understand that this has been a grind for that entire group for a sustained period. But we still have an opportunity ahead of us to get to the post season. That's a meaningful opportunity. And staying in the right mindset is probably a big part of what's going to determine our success.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Kind of. What else can you say, right? I know it's that old, our best baseball's in front of us kind of thing, but the whole deal is, as much as I'm down on it, they're still going to go to the playoffs because I just don't trust any of the teams that are chasing after them. And that's all the organization has to focus on, right, is just, hey, let's just get there. All right? There are worst case scenarios. We could be chasing after the Diamondbacks, Reds and Giants. Instead, they're still chasing us and we kind of control our own destiny here. You're coming off a win and maybe something can happen here. His level of surprise of where the Mets are after their hot start.

[David Stearns]

When you're sitting where we were in mid June, we would not have expected to be in this spot. There's no question about that. And we'll have time to evaluate and diagnose and do all of that stuff. For right now, my focus is from here forward. What can we do to win as many games as possible. And that's in the regular season and the postseason.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's a tough position to be in as an executive because there's nothing left to do, right? You can't make any training what you.

[Don Hahn]

Were going to do.

[Peter Rosenberg]

This is the team. You had a chance at the deadline to improve it. It didn't work out and we'll get to that in a second. But all you can do is just sit and watch. And then during the off season, he'll really evaluate. And I have a feeling, Alan, if this goes sideways and they miss the playoffs, blowing it up is strong, but he's going to make major changes. He's going to have to. Of course, now, if you make the playoffs and you Win a couple of games. Maybe if you win the first round or you put up a showing against the Padres or Dodgers, but you lose, maybe it's a different story. But if they, if they blow this thing like, oh, seven style, they're gonna. Maybe Alonzo doesn't come back just for the sake of change. Maybe you try to trade Nimmo, like, there might be some real tough decisions that are going to have to be made here. Maybe you make a statement. Maybe you say, Alvarez is not the future at catcher. What. What are you going to do?

[Don Hahn]

You got it. You got to show me what's on the market, right? Who they can target. Because he might have to now start doing that now you're really going to have to open the checkbook, right? That's, that's the part. If you don't like your team, then you have to start thinking about, do we have to now spend more and.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Do what the Dodgers did more you can spend.

[Don Hahn]

Well, do what the Dodgers did and you find, all right, where's a player that you. A first baseman, a catcher, that or third baseman, that fills your need and maybe another team can't afford anymore. Make a trade for take on the salary. Do those things that the Dodgers were willing to do, which why they were able to build the team they built with a million brand names up and down the lineup. That's, that's the approach that you might have to take. If you look at your group right now and say, all right, this isn't good, but it does to me, the starting pitching is everything. Now. Sanga had a good outing in aaa, so who knows if is he. Is he figuring it out? But there's a lot of decisions to make with him. And I, like, think about it. This is all on Stearns. Those trades for the bullpen was him, the signings and who they wanted, what they wanted to do with starting pitching, that's on him. So there's a lot of weight on his shoulders right now, more than anybody else in that organization. I don't think he gets blown out. But, you know, no, but, but I. You got to think that the heat turns up a little more under him, don't you think?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, it has to. And that's why I think you just sit there and go, well, we gave it our, you know, old try. We didn't get the break, so we're just going to run it back. I don't think you can afford to do that now. You mentioned about the deals that didn't work out. David, in hindsight, would you have approached the deadline differently.

[David Stearns]

Yeah, I think if I knew exactly how our season was going to play out. Absolutely. But we make the decision decisions we make at the time with the information we had. I'm very comfortable with the process we went through that that led us to those decisions. But, yeah, we did not play well during the month of August. And frankly, from this point through September, we've had various segments of our team that haven't performed to the level that, that we certainly anticipated as we approached the trade deadline. And had I had that knowledge going in, yes, it would have changed what we did.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So really, is he saying, Alan, there's. That he should have been more aggressive in getting a starting pitcher? Yes, because really, isn't that the area.

[Don Hahn]

Previously he did say that there were things there. He didn't want to do it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Now maybe the asking price was one of the kids, probably, and he didn't want to do it. But now he's saying that maybe if he had known that you were going to get zero out of your pitching staff outside of the kids.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That maybe he takes a chance on El Contra.

[Don Hahn]

Right.

[Alan]

You know.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right. I mean, that. Where else could he be going? Like, what else would. Could he. Could he have done?

[Don Hahn]

Well, I guess hindsight, it's the way you look at it now. You didn't know that then.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I mean, maybe you don't, obviously, maybe you don't trade for Mullins because he's been awful. Like, is he talking about like that? Like certain players maybe going a different direction. But Helsley, they were needs. Right.

[Don Hahn]

He was such a poorly considered. The idea of Helsley was, I guess if you think about it in principle, it's like, yeah, that makes sense. He's a closer. But you can make him a guy that sets up your closer and he could be really good at that. But you really messed him up because in St. Louis, he was the closer, but he also was handled with kid gloves. He didn't have to pitch all the time. It wasn't a big demand for him. He comes to the Mets and suddenly intensity ramps up. These are all things that you had to know ahead of time. Can he do this? It's not as simple as saying, just throw him in that role, he'll be fine. He. He wasn't that kind of of pitcher and they tried to make him that. That was a mistake. That's the. One of the biggest mistakes to me is that move.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He also talked about the number of injuries to the Mets pitching staff.

[David Stearns]

I think it continues to reinforce we have to develop our own pitching and we have to develop consistently our own pitching with tremendous abundance. And that is where our focus is going to be.

[Don Hahn]

He's been, he's been on that, Don.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, this, this is doubling down on the philosophy, right? Like he went out and get Montas money. Montas gets hurt, all right. He brings back mania. Mania gets hurt, comes off the injury, completely loses it. So for the people who think that now he's going to go spend money or make big time trades for guys that are under long term contracts, sounds to me like. No, no, no. The fact that we brought these three kids up, they've actually had an impact on our season. He's doubling down on this is the philosophy. I don't spend big money on starting pitching.

[Don Hahn]

Two of them have shown you that. They, they have the stuff. Tong, I don't think is ready. He's young.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It does seem like, yeah, they don't want.

[Don Hahn]

I wouldn't rush that because there's something there. But he definitely needs more time. But the other two look like guys that you go into next season and say they're in a rotation.

[Alan]

Certainly one right there is.

[Don Hahn]

It feels like both of them.

[Peter Rosenberg]

There's a groundswell.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. Sprout's been good.

[Peter Rosenberg]

There's a groundswell that McLean might get some votes for rookie of the year, which is crazy.

[Alan]

He'll end up getting what, what it's all said. 12, 10.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

Is that enough starts? Wow.

[Alan]

It's enough to at least have conversation.

[Don Hahn]

But listen. Yeah, no, he, he's. And he feels real. He has that real deal kind of vibe about him because you see how he battles through. You know, he's got that a dog mentality. You could see it in his eyes. He has all the things that you want in an ace and a stopper. He's got not just the ability to pitch, but there's something about his presence and his kind of intensity that I think this, this team could really use. So there's. And I think that's why when you're Stearns and you never say to yourself, okay, well, this season's over, but we have to look forward to next year with these guys because you're still trying to win now, right? So I'm not saying he's looking past it, but having those pitchers in his pocket going into next season, that makes whatever frustrating. Ending this season's going to have a little less frustrating, a little less. Because as I said to you, right. I said this to Don a couple of weeks ago. Doesn't that at least give you something look to look forward to next year even if this ends in a complete like losing in the wild card. Not even no show wild something but at least you're like all right, it's the fall is cushioned by the fact that you've got two guys that give you a reason to think.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I think I'm disappointed, but I'm going to now pivot to the reality of having some really good pitchers that are going to be coming and be a part of this team next year. New York soccer fans get ready for a huge night at City field on Wednesday, September 24th. New York City FC hosts Inter Miami. Kickoff is sent for 7:30. For your chance to be there, enter [e-mail] or through the ESPN New York app. Just click the Contest tab and submit your entry. Don't miss your shot to catch this marquee matchup in person. Tickets are available [e-mail] NYCFC it's Don on Roseberg Ticket Capital 6:30 and it's Mets baseball on ESPN New York.

[Alan]

Well, FanDuel is getting ready for kickoff with an offer you won't want to miss. New customers can bet just $5 and get 300 bonus bets. If you win, pick a bet, bet 5 bucks and if it wins, you'll unlock 300 bucks in bonus bets to use all across the app. All right, you can build parlays, bet player props, ride live lines. Whatever your style, FanDuel has you covered. Just visit FanDuel.com Peter to download the FanDuel app today and get started. 21 and over and physically present New York first online money wager only. Real money wager only, that is $5 first deposit required. Bonus issues non withdrawable bonus bets that expire seven days after receipt. Restrictions apply. See [e-mail] for help with a gambling problem. Call 8778-HOPE and wire text open wide 467369 thanks for listening to the Don.

[Don Hahn]

Hahn and Rosenberg Podcast.

[Alan]

I don't want to know how the.

[Don Hahn]

Sausage is made, man. I just want to know. It's good. Hear more of Don Allen and Peter Weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 880 ESPN, the ESPN New York app and your smart speakers. This isn't just another ESPN fantasy football.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Season, it's your shot at greatness with a refreshed the ESPN Fantasy app is sharper than ever, so you can draft like a pro and dominate your league. And introducing Gridiron Gauntlet, a new game mode where the best compete to be crowned the number one fantasy football player of 2025. One app, one shot, one champion. Download the ESPN fantasy app and sign up to play ESPN fantasy football today.